Volumetric ultrasound scanning usually involves the movement of an ultrasound transducer relative to a tissue sample and the processing of resultant ultrasound echoes to form a data volume representing at least one acoustic property of the tissue sample. Although several examples herein are presented in the particular context of human breast ultrasound, it is to be appreciated that the present teachings are broadly applicable for facilitating ultrasonic scanning of any externally accessible human or animal body part (e.g., abdomen, legs, feet, arms, neck, etc.). Moreover, although several examples herein are presented in the particular context of mechanized scanning (i.e., in which the ultrasound transducer is moved by a robot arm or other automated or semi-automated mechanism), it is to be appreciated that one or more aspects of the present teachings can be advantageously applied in a handheld scanning context.
Volumetric ultrasound scanning of the breast has been proposed as a complementary modality for breast cancer screening as described, for example, in the commonly assigned US 2003/007598A1 published Jan. 9, 2003, which is incorporated by reference herein. The commonly assigned WO 2004/030523A2 published Apr. 15, 2004, which is incorporated by reference herein, describes a full-field breast ultrasound (FFBU) scanning apparatus that compresses a breast along planes such as the craniocaudal (CC) plane, the mediolateral oblique (MLO) plane, etc., and ultrasonically scans the breast. One side of an at least partially conformable, substantially taut membrane or film sheet compresses the breast. A transducer translation mechanism maintains an ultrasound transducer in contact with the other side of the film sheet while translating the ultrasound transducer thereacross to scan the breast.
Other FFBU scanning devices that compress the breast in other directions, such as in generally chestward or “head-on” directions, are described in one or more of the following commonly assigned applications, each of which is incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Ser. No. 60/565,698 filed Apr. 26, 2004; U.S. Ser. No. 60/577,078 filed Jun. 4, 2004; U.S. Ser. No. 60/629,007 filed Nov. 17, 2004; U.S. Ser. No. 60/702,202 filed Jul. 25, 2005; U.S. Ser. No. 60/713,322 filed Aug. 31, 2005; WO 2005/104729A2 published Nov. 10, 2005; and WO 2005/120357A1 published Dec. 22, 2005.
Among other useful applications, ultrasound imaging systems can be used to facilitate percutaneous biopsy procedures in which a needle or other fine biopsy instrument is used to extract a tissue sample. More specifically, ultrasound imaging systems can be used to locate a lesion and to assist the radiologist in guiding a biopsy instrument to the lesion. In such applications, it is necessary to keep the biopsy needle positioned within the imaged plane in order for it to remain visible on the ultrasound monitor during the procedure. As used herein, the terms radiologist and physician are used interchangeably and generically to refer to medical professionals that analyze medical images and make clinical determinations therefrom, and/or that perform medical procedures under the at least partial guidance of medical imaging systems, it being understood that such person might be titled differently, or might have differing qualifications, depending on the country or locality of their particular medical environment.
Percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy of the breast is a procedure that can be quickly performed free-handed by a “skilled” physician, using a hand-held ultrasound imaging system, in an out-patient environment. Because this procedure would take less physician time, it is less expensive than other breast biopsy procedures, such as x-ray guided stereotactic BIOPSY and surgical biopsy. Thus, percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy has become a highly popular breast biopsy procedure.
However, this procedure could become even more popular if it were easier to perform. This is because many physicians may find it difficult to do the free-handed procedure, which requires the physician to hold a hand-held ultrasound transducer in one hand and the biopsy needle in the other hand, while looking at both the display monitor and the patient breast (usually placed three feet apart) and trying to visualize simultaneously the thin biopsy needle (approximately 1 mm in diameter) and the breast lesion in the thin (approximately 1 mm thick) scan plane of the ultrasound imaging system.
One type of ultrasound-assisted biopsy guide is described in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,786, issued Feb. 24, 2004, which is incorporated by reference herein. Although one or more preferred embodiments are herein presented in the particular context of needle biopsy procedures for the breast such as fine needle aspiration biopsy, core-needle biopsy, vacuum-assisted biopsy, and/or other single-cylinder excision alternatives, it is to be appreciated that one or more aspects of the present teachings can be advantageously applied in a variety of different image-guided surgical contexts.
It would be desirable to facilitate ultrasound scanning of a tissue volume (such as, but not limited to, a breast) in a manner that further improves at least one of image quality, volumetric thoroughness, patient comfort, and overall quickness of the scanning process. It would be further desirable to provide assistance to physicians in performing ultrasound-guided biopsy of the breast. It would be further desirable to provide for ultrasound scanning of a tissue volume in a manner that facilitates at least one of guidance, positioning, and operation of a biopsy instrument. Other issues arise as would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure.